The Valley of the Fallen Servant
by GraceLilly
Summary: AU to The Servant of Two Masters. What if the mercenaries found no use for the injured servant after the attack in the woods? What if they decided to leave Merlin behind instead of bringing him to Morgana? Short story with some lovely bromance, worried Gaius and all the knights in action!
1. Broken Wings

Hello Merlin fans!

Just some info before we start: I'm still working on the sequel to my previous story, but I needed a break since there are some issues I have to deal with. This is pretty much the result of my 'break'. It was supposed to be a one-shot but I kind of failed and... well, I wrote this _three-chapter_ story.

I know there have been many AUs to this particular episode and I was really trying to come up with something original. It's not a miracle but I enjoyed writing it, so I hope it's not a complete disaster (I think I'm getting insane, 'cause when I read it in the morning I'm like "thats good" but when I open it again in the evening, all the words seem so wrong!). Well... that's me :-)

Special thanks to my beta-reader **TheSilverSleeper**. Honestly, without her, the following lines would be hardly readable. Thank you!

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Chapter one - Broken Wings

The ground was wet. It was the first thought that came on Merlin's half-conscious mind. He could feel it underneath his lying body; the water in his tunic getting slowly warmed by the heat of his skin. It was the only fact that filled his hazy world and for a couple of moments he just laid there, still and peaceful, not able to move or think straight.

The sound of heartbeat was present in every single part of his body. Loud and wild and yet, calming and friendly. He felt the blood running through his veins, and with every other beat he could perceive the little tremors in his chest spreading further all over his body to the tips of his fingers. His heartbeat vibrated through the muscles and bones, reminding him that he was alive.

Merlin was drifting between the two worlds for some time, standing on the edge and fighting with the nagging voice that was telling him to open his eyes and face the reality. Almost like the state he was in was the only acceptable one for his broken body; being alive and yet, not alive enough to feel the pain. However, he couldn't hold back the flow of memories that suddenly started arising from the back of his mind. He was slowly waking up at the images of the previous events, piece by piece putting together the whole story of the last hunting trip. And even though he wasn't quite aware of what happened, his patience was getting low as he couldn't sense anyone around him. No steps, no broken branches or rustling in the fallen leaves. He knew he should try to find out what happened and where he was, but not now. He was all too tired to move, even if it would mean such a little movement like opening his eyes.

He was completely motionless, trying to rest at least for a couple of moments and maybe just a bit longer, till his strength comes back. He felt the heaviness on him, almost like he was chained to the hard earth, his body completely embedded in the shape of the ground with all the sharp stones and rough roots. As if he was already a part of the place; like the woods completely embraced him in its arms and it was never going to let him escape.

He must have lost consciousness after the spell that caused the rock fall. He remembered the mercenaries shouting at each other and Arthur's desperate scream that kept echoing in his ears. It was exhausting, both mentally and physically, but he was sure his effort didn't come in vain. More than anyone else, Arthur was worth it.

He wanted to take a deep breath to bring more oxygen to his weary brain but something was blocking his lungs from stretching out. Somewhere under his left collarbone he felt a sharp stab, suddenly reminding him of the wound caused by the mercenary's flail. It was by chance the same type of weapon Arthur chased him with the first day he came to Camelot. This time, however, Merlin couldn't use magic to protect himself and as a result, he experienced the full impact of it; the real power of a weapon which was until now just one of the unpleasant stuff Arthur used on the training yard.

The urge to find out what happened forced Merlin to calm his breath again. He could hear the typical hum of the forest. The sound of leafs flying in the air, the tree branches making the strange creaky sound when the wind grew stronger. And the silence that was familiar to him but at the same time so different from what he knew. This silence was impatient and heavy, as if the woods were expecting something to come and destroy the beautiful world of peace and balance. After a slight hesitation, Merlin opened his eyes, a bit languorously at first, but a few slow blinks made his vision clear.

He was in the woods right on the place Arthur left him, in the manger of the Valley of the Fallen Kings. It was still day time since the sun was shining through the tree crowns; he couldn't have been unconscious for a long time in the end. But still, he couldn't estimate what happened after the rock divided Arthur from the mercenaries and what could have forced the attackers to leave. Was it really that simple that they just couldn't find any use for him and therefore, he was left behind? Why didn't they kill him when they had the chance? Or did Merlin become valueless because they managed to hunt Arthur after all?

Trying to sit up, Merlin realised he couldn't keep his head up. His neck was stiff and his head seemed to be too heavy to detach from the ground. The fact he was so weak to make such a little move made his stomach turn in fear. There was almost nothing he could do now but wait. Wait for Arthur or worse, for the mercenaries to come back and finish their job. He hoped Arthur managed to get into safety with the knights, but the truth was he couldn't be sure. There were too many attackers against such small group and even though the Camelot knights were the best in the land, they were in a big disadvantage, having been attacked unprepared on the open road. In a blink of an eye they were encircled and outnumbered, with no chance to escape. Merlin could still hear the wild screams of the mercenaries, the ringing sound of swords clanging against each other and the horse hooves stomping the soft forest ground. Everything was suddenly back in front of his eyes again.

He knew someone must have betrayed them. Again. They weren't carrying anything valuable which would entice the mercenaries and provoke them to attack and gather the prey. No, it was something more. Whether they wanted to kill the king or just capture him or the knights, Merlin didn't dare to guess, but he was sure the aim of the attack was not about gold or food. He wondered whether it was going to open Arthur's eyes to finally see what kind of person Agravaine was.

Thinking about Arthur's uncle, another realisation crossed Merlin's mind, spreading panic through his chest. Agravaine was Morgana's ally. And the probability he would engage the mercenaries to attack the patrol of his own accord was pretty low. It must have been on Morgana's command, which again totally failed. In addition Merlin knew, that if she found out he was still here, alone and injured, she would come back and deal with him by herself.

Merlin decided to check his shoulder, bringing slowly his right hand to his tunic and carefully getting under the fabric. He immediately noticed the unnatural wetness suggesting that there was no difference from the last time Arthur looked at it. He brought his hand in front of his eyes, watching the dark liquid dripping from the tips of his fingers. The wound was still bleeding.

He remembered that the moment the flail hit him, the pain wasn't that bad. Maybe he was just too distracted, too surprised with the quick blow to have time to feel it. The power of the weapon crushing his chest knocked the air out of his lungs, his knees buckled and he fell. The pain was something he expected, but it actually didn't really come until he got the opportunity to calm himself again. First, he thought that the bones were sprained or broken because there wasn't too much blood, but now, he must have rethink his conclusion. He didn't know how he managed to make his shoulder bleed again, if it happened because he used the spell or the mercenaries tried to kill him before they left. But it didn't matter after all. He needed to stop it as soon as possible.

His options, though, were limited. He was weak and tired and the more he thought about the injury, the more painful it was actually getting. The realisations he made didn't add much comfort to him. Quite the opposite - the nervousness that embraced his body accelerated his breathing, which was causing the stabbing pain somewhere between his shoulder and upper chest whenever he wanted to suck the air in. Trying to find some relief, he managed to get his quick shallow gasps under control.

Carefully placing his right hand on the wounded area, the warlock whispered one of the healing spells he remembered. The effect was almost instant and after a short burning that engulfed his shoulder, the bleeding reduced, maybe even stopped completely. His tunic though was soaked with the blood, and Merlin feared it would stick to the wound. He could imagine how unpleasant it would be to remove the fabric that got dried to a half-healed wound. Merlin decided that covering it with his neckerchief would be sufficient enough to keep it from further damage, at least until he gets a proper medical treatment.

...

The sun moved on the sky further to the west when Merlin opened his eyes again. Falling asleep was not exactly his plan, but his body was too tired to win the battle between the painful consciousness and healing sleep; somehow he ended up in the short slumber.

His breathing was a bit more difficult in comparison with his previous state. Thinking about what could have caused such reverse Merlin realised it was probably his right arm, which remained lying across his chest when he pressed the neckerchief on the wound. But before he could put his hand back to relive his confined lungs, something disrupted the silence of the woods.

Merlin focused for a moment, trying to listen as thoroughly as possible. From what he could hear, it was a voice. A man's voice. And he wasn't alone. His stomach clenched at the thought the mercenaries came back to finish their job or bring him to Morgana. But at the same time he knew the best for him was to remain calm and not to jump to conclusions without any evidence. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't hold back the gasps which suddenly started to escape his throat.

Somewhere between the indistinctive shouts Merlin recognized one sentence that caused chills on his back.

"Over there!"

Merlin's position didn't allow him to see whose steps were whirling in the fallen leafs and actually it didn't make any difference after all. He was not able to fight and running was not an option either. It was too late to hide.

A strange person was quickly approaching to him. He came from behind, making his way down between the moss-covered rocks.

"Merlin!"

He knew the voice, he would recognize it everywhere. Turning his head, Merlin saw the typical red cloak and blond hair of the king of Camelot. The feeling of great relief completely overtook his body and he closed his eyes for a moment, trying to take control over his ragged breaths again.

"Merlin," Arthur repeated, kneeling to him and carefully watching his friend's prone body. His eyes were full of concern and a few wrinkles appeared on his forehead.

Merlin nodded, forcing himself to smile to show he was not in such bad state as it looked.

"He's alive!" the king shouted, putting down his gloves. "Good, you're alive," he repeated again, this time just for himself. The relief in his face was obvious.

There were more knights; Merlin could hear their talk but he couldn't see them. He presumed they stayed up on the border of the manger. Before Merlin could say something, Arthur silenced him, bringing a skin with water to his lips.

Having been distracted by so many things, Merlin completely forgot that he should be thirsty. He hadn't drunk for a few hours now and his throat was dry like tinder. However, his instinct told him not to drink too much, as there was a possibility his weak body wouldn't accept a bigger amount of water and he would throw it up.

"Thanks," he whispered, his shaky breath reflecting in his voice.

Arthur nodded, squeezing Merlin's good shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry, Gaius is on his way."

The physician was already standing behind Arthur's back, holding his medical bag and a blanket under his armpit. Arthur quickly stood on his feet, giving him the required space.

One look was enough for Gaius to find out what was wrong with his ward. Without further words, he knelt down to Merlin, tearing a small hole in the blood-soaked tunic and slowly revealing the scared skin under the neckerchief. Merlin didn't know how it looked like now; he didn't have the chance to look at it properly but from what he could read on Gaius's face, it wasn't that bad. Maybe by stopping the bleeding, Merlin managed to heal the worst of the wound as well.

The king was standing a step away from him, looking up to the other border and watching thoroughly any unusual move. Merlin could see his impatience and nervousness, maybe even anger that caused the old-looking wrinkles on his face.

Suddenly, another person stepped in his view. It was Leon.

"Sire, you shouldn't stay here for too long. We don't have a clear look at the surroundings. If someone would attack, I'm afraid we won't be able to get you out of here," he said, expecting orders from the king.

Arthur nodded in understanding. They were in a valley with stone slopes on both sides. One way out was now barricaded with huge rocks and the other one lead in the opposite direction than their horses were. Under other circumstances it would be a great place for hiding but now, when the mercenaries knew Merlin's exact position, it was probably the most dangerous place in the woods. It wasn't wise to stay there. Arthur turned his attention to the physician. It was him who had the final word now.

"Gaius?"

"I need a moment, sire. There are actions I need to take before we seat Merlin on the horse." He was spreading the blanket over Merlin's body. He wasn't cold, even though he felt the cool wet fabric on his back; he wondered if it was because he had a fever.

"Should we make fire?" Leon asked, looking at Gaius. The answer, though, came from the king.

"No. No fire. We don't need to draw any attention," he said strictly. "Cover the area as wide as you can. Watch carefully every move and send someone to track the mercenaries. I want to know which way did they leave and from where we could expect their possible return. Keep as silent as possible. I'll stay here with Gaius, the other way out is still not safe."

Arthur knew that the most effective way to keep them safe was to follow every suspicious move, every broken branch and every shadow. But with five knights, it was hardly possible. As long as they stayed there, they were all in grave danger.

Their talk somehow dulled in Merlin's ears, slowly becoming a distant and indefinite mixture of voices. The time stopped as Merlin's eyes dropped to Gaius. And even though Gaius had this skill to hide any emotion that could influence his professionalism, Merlin would bet there was a tear in his eye. Then the noise of the world completely disappeared and Merlin found himself drifting into sleep again.

"Oi!" Gaius raised his voice, patting Merlin's cheek, "no sleep," he ordered. As soon as he made sure Merlin was back with him, he bent his head, giving the full attention to the wounded shoulder again.

"I'm sorry," Merlin's voice sounded strangely dry and lazy. "It's just- my brain hurts," he explained, not really caring how stupid it sounded.

"I know; you'll have enough time to sleep soon. Until then try to stay awake," Gaius reacted, calming Merlin with his typical peaceful voice.

"I'll do my best," Merlin wanted to smile but a sudden move of his arm changed his face into a painful grimace.

"Are there any other injuries I should know about?"

"No," Merlin whispered, his mind too busy with the shoulder to feel anything more. If he was hurt somewhere else, he didn't have the chance to notice.

Merlin looked around; Leon was already gone and Arthur was pacing around. He looked like he didn't really know what to do. There was a short moment when his eyes met the fallen rocks not far from them. It was strange to watch Arthur's face reflecting so many emotions - a combination of anger, confusion and regret with questions that would probably never be answered.

Arthur knew he had the greatest part on this; he couldn't bring Merlin back to Camelot after the rocks divided them and as a result, he was now endangering the lives not only of his knights, but the court physician as well. The positive thing that lightened his mind was Merlin, who was alive and as far as he could see, not mortally wounded. But being here, on the open air without any backup, he couldn't let his senses rest.

Merlin was watching Gaius's focused face, feeling his hands pressing deftly around his shoulder joint. They didn't say a word to each other but they didn't need to. It was just Gaius's presence that kept Merlin safe, however, his ragged breaths were getting louder as Gaius moved his left arm in a different position, sending shooting pain in his arm.

Being not sure what to do, the king lowered himself to his servant, kneeling on the mossy stones on Merlin's right side. He adjusted the blanket on his legs, trying to cover his whole body. He didn't know why he was doing that; he never before experienced the urge to take care of someone in this way. That just wasn't him. It was always Guinevere who offered help with the patients if Gaius needed. It was her who was helpful and compassionate, making no difference between treating a knight or a beggar. Arthur admired her for it, but right now, for some reason, he needed to show that he cared. That he always cared.

Merlin noticed Arthur's dark eyes staring somewhere in the distance. He was visibly worried, rubbing his forehead and breathing heavily. Merlin knew he cared about him; even though he was always struggling to admit it, his concern and responsibility he felt for him was obvious.

"You've brought the whole army," Merlin whispered, trying to encourage his friend and distract him from all the problems that afflicted his mind.

"They're here of their own accord. I tried to stop them, but it was in vain."

Merlin smiled. "They came for me?"

"Don't be so fond of yourself. We're here because it's a beautiful day for a ride. We are hunting, you know, gathering herbs, mushrooms... and servants," he explained, trying to sound indifferent but the hint of joy couldn't escape Merlin's attention.

"Then you're lucky. I've heard it's difficult to find a servant in the woods. They're pretty rare."

"You're right, they are. We're gonna celebrate our success after we return."

Merlin hissed, as he felt his arm being pulled from his body. Gaius was trying to fix the bones, but he was being very careful. Merlin watched him doing it a few times to some patients, but he was never working so warily as now.

"What's wrong?" Arthur asked, watching Gaius in concern, placing a hand on Merlin's shoulder as he saw his pained expression.

"The bones are dislocated, but that's not what bothers me," the physician explained. "The first rib under the collarbone could be broken and by moving the arm, I could easily make it worse."

Arthur frowned, not really understanding Gaius's statement but he trusted his skills more than anyone else. He was impatient; everyone would be, not knowing how long they would have to stay there, but he decided not to interrupt Gaius with further questions. The physician, though, noticed his inquiring look.

"Making Merlin ride a horse in this state would be extremely painful. If nothing more, I have to put the bone back in place. I'm working as fast as I can but it would take some time."

Arthur nodded, his eyes meeting Merlin's for a short moment. He seemed to be unfocused, staring somewhere up in the tree crowns, his eyes slowly closing and then opening again. The king was almost sure Merlin hasn't moved since the moment Arthur was forced to leave him there and plunge into a fight with the mercenaries. He still felt the regret, replaying the scene of the falling rocks in front of his eyes. The desperation that filled his chest that moment was still present with him, the consuming feeling when he had no choice but to leave Merlin there with so many people who wanted to hurt him. He was actually forced to betray his friend and Arthur knew it would take him some time to deal with it and get over the memory, even if Merlin was alive and everything was on its best way to be all right again.

"I'm going to check something. I'll be back in a moment." Arthur pointed to the other end of the manger, on the way he and Merlin came before the mercenaries found them. He still couldn't understand how it all happened; it almost looked like someone caused the rock fall for a purpose, trying to prevent the attackers to reach him whatever the cost. But it was no use to think about it now; he needed to make sure the opposite way was free in case they would have to run.

Gaius gave him a worried look, not fully agreeing with his decision. He shouldn't walk in the forest alone. It could be dangerous, not only for him but for Merlin and Gaius as well. But the king didn't seem to be waiting for permission from the physician. He had to do something, make himself useful and not only sit and wait. Without further notes, he left Merlin and Gaius alone.

"I noticed you've taken care," Gaius spoke when he made sure Arthur couldn't hear them. He pointed his eyes on Merlin's wounded shoulder, impressed with the current state of it.

"I tried to stop the bleeding," the warlock whispered, holding his breath to steady his voice.

"The wound is almost healed with no sign of infection. You did very well, Merlin." Gaius gave his ward a satisfied smile. He was proud of him, knowing how complicated the healing spells could be.

"That's good," Merlin whispered again, closing his eyes. The skin was maybe healed, but the bones were far from being all right, stabbing him regularly with every breath he took. "It still hurts."

During Gaius's long practice, he came across many dislocated bones. It wasn't one of the more serious injuries, and even though it was very painful, the patient usually pulled through without any further consequences. But if there was something he had learned, it was one particular rule - once the bone got dislocated, it was better to set it as soon as possible. However, Merlin was left with the injury for a couple of hours and as a result, the muscles around the joint got stiff. With every second they waited it was getting more difficult to fix it.

Gaius turned around, grabbing his bag and looking for something. A second later, he was holding a small bottle with a clear liquid.

"Careful," he ordered, bringing the potion to Merlin's lips, "you'll feel a bit tired but it's for the sake of both of us."

Merlin swallowed the liquid without saying a word, welcoming everything that could lessen the sharp pain in his upper chest. He wished he knew some useful spell to heal himself but from his previous experiences he was sure it would never be that easy.

"This doesn't mean you have my permission to fall asleep, Merlin," Gaius added, noticing Merlin's eye lids becoming heavier than before.

"Yes, sire," the warlock smiled.

He realised that Gaius had come in the woods full of mercenaries just because Merlin was hurt. And he didn't really have to do that; it wasn't his duty. He could simply wait in his chambers for the knights to bring the wounded ward straight to the bed. But he decided to go in the woods on a mission that was not quite safe and that could easily end up with a life-and-death fight. In addition, Gaius was never fond of a horse seat; he never actually confirmed that, but Merlin knew he was willing to ride a horse only if necessary. Merlin's heart was suddenly filled with a strong feeling of gratitude. He couldn't imagine how the way back would look like if he was condemned to ride a horse in his current state.

"You will feel better soon," Gaius soothed him as he carried on examining the position of the bones.

"Agravaine-... is he here?" Merlin asked, not sure if he really wanted to hear the answer but he presumed a conversation was the only thing that would keep him awake.

"No," Gaius answered, "Arthur wanted him to stay in the castle. Agravaine was quite shocked when he was told what happened. He tried to hide it but he looked like he saw a ghost when the knights returned almost at full strength."

Merlin frowned. What if he was meant to be left behind? What if it was Morgana's strategy to use him as a bait to entice Arthur and all the knights in the woods? With Agravaine inside the castle, her way to Camelot will be free. Maybe Merlin was not a mistake but a part of a sophisticated plan that would finally give Morgana the throne. If it was so, he managed to bring them all in a trap.

The warlock looked at Gaius, wondering whether he should share his thoughts but as soon as the physician looked in Merlin's eyes, the boy realised he probably knew.

"Don't worry about it now. Arthur knows there is a traitor at the court and still he was willing to go on this quest. There is nothing to stop him if it comes to you. You should have seen him when he returned back to the castle. He was desperate to find you," Gaius tried to encourage Merlin. He felt the uncertain feeling that there was something strange on their situation but he also knew that thinking about all the possibilities and scenarios would be a waste of time.

"It doesn't surprise me; he's usually not able to get dressed on his own. Without me, he won't be even half of the king he is now," Merlin explained, imagining Arthur hearing what he just said. He pictured his offended face and the discordant notes that would throw the ball on Merlin's field again. And then, they would argue and Merlin would probably end up with some extra work for the evening; or maybe not. Maybe, Arthur would just throw something on him. It would depend on his current mood.

"You shouldn't say that to him," Gaius reacted, not able to keep his smile down.

"I think he already knows," Merlin chuckled.

"You're having fun," Arthur suddenly interrupted their discussion. "It's nice to see."

The king sat back, leaning on one of the huge stones and raising his head to check the position of his knights. He could see Percival on the right border and Gwaine on the left but nothing more. Gwaine was eating something, an apple probably but he couldn't be sure. Arthur was truly in a bad position and in a case the attackers would come back, there won't be much time to get up to the horses.

"It could be a trap," Merlin spoke again, this time with more tired voice than before. His face was marked with pain and his breathing was becoming too loud. It was not a pleasant sound to listen. But Merlin needed to be sure that Arthur was fully aware of the danger that came from his decision. He was risking too much for a servant, and Merlin knew that Arthur would never forgive himself if anything happened to his knights.

"Don't worry, Merlin. You have guardians," Arthur said, watching his servant clenching the teeth as Gaius pulled the shoulder again.

"I-" Merlin breathed out, "don't worry about myself. It's you they wanted."

"We've won the fight. Now the mercenaries know they shouldn't try the knights of Camelot. It would be silly of them to come back."

"What makes you think they're not silly," Merlin reacted, suddenly gasping in pain. His oxygen supply had been limited for the last couple of hours and he was becoming desperate to breath properly. Every time he tried to take a deeper breath, the sharp stab stopped him, leaving him gasping for air. And now, as he was trying to control the pain Gaius caused him with his actions, it was even more difficult to keep his composure on a certain level.

"I'm sorry Merlin. I'm trying to be gentle." Gaius waited for Merlin to catch his breath again, lessening the pressure on the shoulder for a moment and massaging the muscles to release the tension. "Try to relax."

Merlin was aware of the little twitches of his muscles whenever was his sore limb moved, but he didn't really have it under control. Knowing he would be against himself if he fought Gaius, Merlin was trying to be as relaxed as possible, even though the position he was held in was not comfortable at all. He couldn't hold back another moan as he felt the bones taking a slightly different position. He whispered a silent apology but his breath was so shallow he couldn't be sure someone heard him.

It was his fault. The fact they were here now was just a result of his slow reaction when he was attacked. And now, Morgana could come and kill them all. He didn't even know if he would able to use magic to protect them.

"Let me try something," Gaius offered, hearing Merlin's raspy voice. The dislocated bone was pressing on Merlin's lung and with all the sore bones that had been hit by the flail, it must have been difficult to breath. "I'm going to turn you on your side, it should ease the breathing."

A silent groan escaped Merlin's throat followed by long exhale as his stiff body changed the long-standing position. Gaius bent Merlin's legs to keep him in balance and added another blanket under the warlock's head. The heavy feeling of someone sitting on his chest immediately disappeared and Merlin could finally take a little bit more air in. It was not what he would wish for, but it had to be enough, at least for now.

However, he couldn't enjoy the little comfort that pervaded his body for long. Gaius used the new position to try another way how to set the dislocated shoulder. He grabbed Merlin's left arm again, bending it slowly somewhere behind his body, creating an unnatural angle that forced another groan from the boy. It was painful as he felt his whole ribcage stretch, all the sore bones and muscles being pulled in one direction. He couldn't stop himself from uncontrollable gasping as the pressure even increased. He instinctively brought his right hand to his shoulder in a weak attempt to find any way to lessen the pain, but Gaius didn't let him, replacing Merlin's hand with his own.

"Hold on," he whispered with his soft voice. Merlin knew he was trying to help him but at the same time, there was a slight impatience in his words. But he understood. They both wanted this to end quickly. And after all, Gaius was right; there was nothing he could do but hold on.

Trying to silence the little whimpers escaping his throat and distract himself from the intensive sharp pain, Merlin concentrated all his thoughts on his lungs, imagining the air filling the space in his chest, awakening all the cells of his body and then, leaving through his nostrils. It worked for a couple of moments, until another move of his arm brought him back in the reality. The damaged skin on his shoulder was burning like a fire when Gaius stretched his arm. Merlin was glad that his position didn't allow Gaius to see his face strained with pain.

Suddenly, the king stood up, looking up to the border and turning around in a half circle. He brought his right hand to the hilt of his sword, as if he was making sure it was on its place. Merlin welcomed the little distraction, trying to forget about the pain that was numbing his mind. His eyelids were heavy, almost like his body wanted to save him from suffering by leading him into the sweet unconsciousness.

"Sire?" Gaius noticed Arthur's quick movement as well, raising his head to the king.

It took a several moments before the king shook his head, looking back at Gaius and the servant.

"It's nothing," he said as an explanation. "Just a feeling." Arthur wanted to stifle the undying voice in his head repeating to get out of the hole as fast as they could. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get rid of it, constantly thinking about Morgana and the traitor who revealed their secret. He didn't know whether he saw someone behind one of the huge tree tribes or whether he was becoming paranoid. It was confusing.

Gaius was giving his full attention to Merlin again, examining the position of the bone with his fingers of his left hand, while the other held the arm in the right angle. Merlin's face was pale and sweaty, his eyes half opened as well as his mouth, which was releasing small gasps.

"What is it?" Merlin asked, sounding strangely distant, even to himself. He wondered how his voice seemed to Gaius and Arthur.

The king leaned on one of the huge stones on Merlin's right side, sticking the tip of the sword on the ground, not knowing what to do with his hands. "It's the silence. I don't like it."

"I could scream if you wish," Merlin reacted, feeling a tear drop escaping his eye and burrowing in the blanket. He wanted Gaius to just stop and leave him there. And even though he knew he probably wouldn't be able to stand on his own feet, he felt an unimaginable desire to run away. Run from Gaius and Arthur, run from the pain and the pernicious feeling of fear. Leave the damn place behind and forget.

The king chuckled. "That would certainly be like you, maybe more than you can imagine."

As a knight, Arthur was used to watch injuries on the battlefield. He grew up amongst knights, and he knew it was a part of their lives to get hurt sometimes. But Merlin was not a knight and such burden was not meant for him. It was not fair.

He noticed Merlin's smile; it wasn't the usual annoying smile he wore when he was pleased with himself or when he wanted to irritate Arthur. It was like he was trying to reassure him that he was all right with what happened. His lips were too pale, taking over the colour of his white face. He looked like he was drifting into sleep again, slowly closing his absent eyes for a moment but before Gaius could notice, he opened them again, impassively watching his right hand lying on the green moss.

"There," Gaius whispered to himself and Merlin had to do his best not to actually scream as he felt another pull to an angle he would never expect it was possible to bend his arm. He instinctively pushed his head backwards, trying to ease the way for the air to get in his lungs. The constant sharp pain was becoming too big to bear and Merlin found himself fighting with his own body as the muscles on his legs began plucking to make him move somehow. He had to push his right hand down in the moss to keep himself from fighting.

"Gaius-," Merlin pleaded, knowing that he was losing the battle, his eyes were closing of their own accord. He couldn't fall unconscious. He would become another problem on the list if he couldn't be able to keep himself awake. But at the same time, he didn't trust himself he's going to hold on like this any further.

"I know my boy," he said reassuringly. "One more move-"

And then it stopped. It wasn't more painful than any of Gaius's previous actions and suddenly his shoulder was back in place, feeling strangely normal and loose.

Merlin released the longest breath in his life. He closed his eyes, enjoying the freedom of a proper breathing. Arthur carefully narrowed his legs, making him lay straight. Merlin could feel the last tears rolling down his temples and a touch of Gaius's hand in his left palm.

"Try to press my hand."

And Merlin did. It was a pretty weak squeeze, but it was one, and that was important. The nerves weren't damaged.

"Good," Gaius breathed out in relief. "Sire, if you could," he spoke to the king, suggesting him to help Merlin to sit. "I need to bandage it."

Merlin's head fell on his chest as he was put in the sitting position. He had trouble to keep himself up but Arthur supported him, holding his shoulders as Gaius put his bruised arm into a tight sling.

"Gaius," Merlin suddenly whispered, trying to turn his head towards the physician. "I need-" he couldn't finish the sentence, his voice suddenly giving up. The pain in his shoulder dulled, but he was still too tired and all his body felt like a one huge stone pinned to the ground. The painful weakness of his muscles suddenly took over him, his head was spinning around and his stomach felt like it was full of something hard and heavy. Even though he had just a gulp of water in the last few hours, he could fell a slight urge to throw up. There was a hum in his ears, slowly turning into a high tone that made him sick. His vision became blurry, dark dots dancing on Arthur's face as Merlin raised his head to him. And then, there was nothing.

...

The next thing Merlin saw was a beam of the sun making its way through his eyelashes, slowly awakening his mind. He focused on the strange game of lights and shadows, the blinding brightness making his eyes water. The fresh air coming in his lungs was mobilizing his senses again, enabling him to feel the chill, hearing the words around him and feeling the strange patting on his right cheek.

"Really? After all this time you decide to fall asleep?" Arthur noted as he watched his servant opening his eyes and blinking a few times to get rid of the tears that smudged his vision.

"I wasn't sleeping," Merlin groaned, turning his head on his right side. He was still sitting, Arthur's strong arms holding him up as Gaius worked on bandaging his shoulder.

"Here," Gaius said, giving his ward a water skin, "you must drink, Merlin. You are exhausted. Take deep breaths and don't make quick moves unless you want to black out again. We'll have to take breaks on our way back, sire," Gaius faced Arthur, obviously concerned about Merlin's health. "Just to be sure."

Arthur nodded. Merlin was still to pale and weak and Arthur felt uncertain whether he'd be able to guide his servant back home. It was a long journey ahead.

"All finished." The physician tied the sling behind Merlin's neck and then started folding the blankets. "Careful now," he added, looking worriedly at Merlin.

"Right. Let's go." Arthur was not sure whether he should ask Merlin if he could walk or take him directly in his arms. However, the servant could read the hesitation in his face and decided that the best choice was to stand up and try what his legs could do. He placed his right arm around Arthur's shoulders, not bothering with asking for permission.

"What- Merlin, wait," Arthur was surprised with his servant's sovereign action, being not ready for such a quick movement. In the blink of an eye Merlin was standing on his feet.

"Are you sure-" the king asked in astonishment, feeling Merlin's unstable form leaning on him. He was bending forwards a bit, and Arthur had a strong suspicion he was going to fall over.

"You don't want to spoil me, do you?" Merlin interjected and took the first step. His legs were a bit shaky but surprisingly strong considering the circumstances.

"All right," he breathed out, "Gaius, please, go ahead, Elyan should be waiting at the horses. Tell him we're going home."

Gaius gave him a concerned look, almost like he didn't trust him he would be able to guide Merlin up, but eventually he obeyed, taking his bag and blankets and heading up to horses. Even though Gaius was an old man, he managed to get up quite quickly, looking back at Merlin and Arthur behind.

"Hold tight, I don't want you to fall back down there," Arthur said, supporting his servant as they climbed up between the stones covered with the green moss.

"Don't worry. If my legs give up, I'll make sure I won't fall alone," Merlin joked, tightening his hold on Arthur. The king was glad his friend hadn't lost his sense of humour, even if he was visibly in pain.

Suddenly, there was shouting coming from the distance. Arthur turned back, watching Gwaine running to him. He was breathing wildly, trying to catch his breath and when he finally spoke, his voice was wheezy.

"Leon saw a man not far from here and he followed him," he announced, taking huge breaths between the words. "He's found the mercenary's camp."

Arthur gave him an inquiring look, not really knowing where was his knight pointing and why was his face so shocked. It was Arthur's order to find out where are the mercenaries dwelling but something was telling him it was not the only news Gwaine wanted to say.

"They're getting ready for something, Arthur," the knight continued, shaking his head like couldn't accept it himself, "and Morgana is with them."

_To be continued..._


	2. A Friendly Help

Thank you for reading, following, favouriting and for all the reviews. You are amazing!

"PM" for the Guest: Thank you for your words, I know what you mean. The problem is, English is not my native language. When I write something in my native language I can think about many ways how to express what I want to say, but in English, I'm still quite limited. I rather stick to what I know for sure and use rather shorter sentences, where I can't make so many mistakes, than try experiments. And trust me, even though I'm very careful, I'm giving quite hard time to my beta reader... I'm probably never gonna be able to write like a native Englishman (which is quite disturbing! :-), but I love it and I'm willing to learn. But I'm really grateful for your advice. Hope it's gonna get better with time!

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Chapter 2 - A Friendly Help

Arthur froze for a moment, Gwaine's words caught him by surprise and Merlin noticed a slight panic in his eyes before his face turned focused again.

The king almost forgot that he was still on the slope, supporting his wounded servant. They took a few more steps and both breathed out as they finally reached the top. Arthur handed Merlin over Percival, who guided him to one of the huge trees and lowered him down.

All the knights suddenly assembled around them, their worried faces waiting for Arthur's orders. The king, though, didn't need time to think about his next step. It was clear. They couldn't stand a chance in another battle with Morgana. They needed to reach safety that only Camelot could provide them.

"Sire," Leon stepped forward, "they were gathering weapons, and I could hear Morgana shouting something to them, but I couldn't distinguish the words-"

"So they know about us," Gwaine interjected, throwing his head back to get rid of the hair in his face.

"We cannot be sure," Arthur opposed. They could have been preparing for them as well as for any other merchant caravan that could pass by. Deep in his head though, Arthur knew he was trying to persuade himself it was so, and for a short moment, he almost wished he didn't know Morgana so well. She would never organize mercenaries to steal goods or gold.

"They were clearly in hurry," Leon spoke again; his voice was urgent, as if he was trying to give Arthur the most possible picture of what he witnessed there. Merlin could feel the impatience spreading amongst them all like a plague and there was no doubt they were all aware of the danger they will have to face on the way to Camelot.

"It doesn't matter now. We're leaving," Arthur decided. From his point of view, there was no time to hesitate, no options to choose between.

"We can go to the White Mountains. We will have a better chance to cover ourselves and hide in the caves if necessary," Leon offered.

"That's true, but it would also slow us down," Arthur opposed. "We are on the south border of the Valley and to reach the mountains, we would need to head to north. Time is something we can't spare right now," Arthur explained, looking at Merlin as if he was the reason they couldn't travel through mountains.

"Don't bother with me, I can hold on," Merlin defended himself, the eyes of the knights staring at him. They're faces weren't reproachful, but they didn't look exactly satisfied either, and Merlin wished he would find more strength in his legs to stand up and show them how fine he actually felt. But the king didn't seem to pay attention to Merlin's words. He was already decided. "We're taking the shortest way to the castle. No exceptions."

"Did they see you?" Elyan suddenly turned to Leon.

Leon shook his head. "I don't believe so. But the number of them-" he broke off for a moment, facing Arthur. "I cannot be sure," he breathed out, careful with choosing the right words.

"They wouldn't let you go if they saw you spying, right?" Gwaine inferred, his words subdued by an apple he was eating.

"Probably," the king confirmed after a short silence. "Listen," he made sure everyone's giving him their full attention before he carried on, "we have a head start, that's our advantage. Let's keep it that way. If we leave now, they won't be able to catch us."

Merlin listened to Arthur's words; he was determined, giving orders to the knights who trusted him with their lives. But Merlin knew that running away would work only in the case that Morgana wasn't involved. If she really knew about them, she wouldn't wait. She would make sure they wouldn't escape from her grasp. And Arthur was aware of it; Merlin could see it on his face. It was all too improbable to be true. Morgana was wayward and in the end, they could all be just a part of a game for her entertainment. A knight hunting.

Gaius suddenly knelt to Merlin, trying to tighten the sling on his arm. Merlin had a strange feeling there was something he wanted to tell him but for some reason he couldn't.

"Gaius-" Merlin whispered, trying not to interrupt the knight's talk, "I need to stay behind," he said as quietly as possible. If he could stop Morgana without being caught red-handed, he must ride as the last of them. That was the only option.

"You can't," Gaius looked deeply in his eyes. "It's too dangerous."

"Make up something; tell Arthur I can't ride fast or whatever. I'm sure he would listen to you," Merlin pleaded.

"In that case, he would rather stay behind with you than endanger your life again. Did you forget why we are here?" he raised his eyebrow the way he always did when Merlin was wrong or managed to do something especially foolish. "Arthur has a plan and we're going to follow it. Besides, you're hurt. It's not going to be easy to use magic now," he reacted, still whispering and pretending he was adjusting Merlin's sling.

"Gaius-"

"Merlin, please listen to me. There is still a chance we can pull through this without any fight. Keep your magic as the last resort."

The warlock opened his mouth again but Gaius's insistent face made him change his mind and swallow the words. Of course he was right; Arthur's decision was wise and logical but there was something Gaius could not fully understand. Merlin felt responsible for everything, and he needed to be sure he did his best to prevent any harm that could come from their situation.

"Ready?" the king stepped in his view, his eyes shifting between Merlin's shoulder and Gaius's experienced look.

"I believe so," the physician nodded, giving Merlin a warning look.

Merlin was lifted on the horse with Percival's and Gwaine's help. He was a bit unstable in the seat as he could hold the reins only with his right hand, but at the same time the fact he was on a horse brought him a slight feeling of safety. He was impatient to get going, waiting only for Arthur's final command.

"Ride fast but do not part. We need to stay together; Leon will be in the head and I'll be closing our formation," Arthur explained as they all seated on their horses around him, carefully listening to his orders.

"One more thing before we leave," Arthur swallowed, as if the words seemed to be too difficult to say aloud, "our priority is to reach Camelot. If Morgana attacks, it will be tough. That is why I exempt you from the obligation to protect me as the king of Camelot. From now on, everyone's for himself."

The last words echoed in Merlin's ears like a death sentence, sending shivers all around his body. Arthur was strong and honest in his decision, but Merlin's heart clenched at the thought and he could recognize the confusion in the knights' faces as well. However, he understood Arthur's intentions; as a king he was responsible for them and they were engaged to protect him. But this was different. Morgana was a high priestess and it was almost impossible to defend against her spells. As far as their knowledge went, she was immortal and completely invincible. But despite the great danger, Leon, Percival, Gwaine, and Elyan were more than knights bound to the king with their oath. They were friends; loyal and faithful under every circumstances and Merlin knew there was no way they would leave him in such times. Even if the battle was lost before it had the chance to start.

"Stay alert," the king said, beckoning to Leon, giving him the final permission to go. Without further words, they left the place in a complete silence.

...

The slow trot turned into a fast ride, leaving hoof prints on the path and swirling dust behind them. They kept short distances between each other, the knights at the front, followed by Gaius, Merlin and the king.

Merlin's body wasn't grateful for the quick pace. Every time the horse touched the ground, the impact sent quite harsh tremor through him, making his sore bones and muscles shake. His breath was basically knocked out of his lungs with every step the horse took and Merlin found himself struggling with the air again, doing his best to find a way how to breathe in accordance with the hard and furious horse motions.

They couldn't have been on the way for more than half an hour and Merlin was already counting heartbeats, praying they would stop and take a short break. He was thirsty and the last bits of his strength were slowly leaving him. He could feel he was bending forward like a willow over a lake but he actually didn't mind. As long as he wasn't falling from the horse, he didn't care.

A few moments later, which seemed like a whole eternity to Merlin, he heard Arthur's command to stop. He narrowed himself, unpleasantly surprised with how stiff his neck became. The knights dismounted their horses but despite Merlin's wish to get off as well, he decided to stay where he was, knowing how difficult it would be to get back on the seat again.

Arthur came from behind, handing a skin with water to him. The servant accepted it gratefully, hoping the water would wake his senses at least a bit. It was a hot day, and Merlin's throat was burning with the air. He could feel his forehead wet with sweat.

"All right?" Arthur asked, watching Merlin's face thoroughly.

"Yeah," he breathed out, biting his lip as he stretched his neck. There was nothing he wished more than to finally rest in his bed, make his body lay straight under the blankets and do nothing.

"It's not far now. Just hold on," the king appeased him, as if he could read Merlin's thoughts on his face. He took back the skin, nodding to Gaius who stayed on the horse as well.

The next thing Merlin noticed was Gaius's confused expression, his eyes wide in horror from something he saw. Everything then started to move in slow motion. Merlin turned around and he saw Arthur looking in the same direction as Gaius. A group of mercenaries was approaching to them, slowly at first, but the moment the knights noticed them, they attacked with full force.

In a second, there was shouting, the screams tearing the silence of the forest apart and everything turned into chaos.

Merlin turned back, just to see Gaius being dragged from his horse by one of the mercenaries. They attacked from the opposite direction as well. They were completely surrounded. The fight looked almost the same as what happened the day before, and it made everything even more scary.

"GAIUS!" Merlin screamed as he witnessed him falling down from the horse. Merlin disarmed the mercenary that attacked Gaius immediately with a silent spell, but it was too late. Gaius was lying on the ground, unconscious from the blow he got to the head.

The mercenaries were everywhere and their actions were so quick that Merlin didn't even have the chance to react as one of them grabbed his leg and tumbled him down from his horse as well. The spell he said in his mind to defend himself was a pure instinct as well as the unimaginable urge to find Arthur. But when he turned around, he wasn't there.

Merlin found himself lying on his back, watching the knights fighting in a desperate battle, the horses running in panic away from the wild and noisy place. He stood up, already raising his hand to dispatch the attackers, determined to protect his friends at all costs, but he was stopped by some invisible force that threw him away. It was a touch of magic and Merlin knew Morgana must have been close.

His body was on fire as he collided with the hard ground but somewhere between the pain of his chest and the thoughts that turned his mind in a disordered mess, Merlin recognized the one simple thought that stayed with him, as if it was one of his natural instincts - and it was Arthur's life. Even if everything else is lost, Arthur must survive.

Turning on his stomach, Merlin opened his eyes. He was hidden behind a huge stump and to his fortune, it gave him a good view on the battle the knights did with the mercenaries. He saw Elyan fighting with two men, his exhaustion was already visible in his movements and Merlin automatically whispered a spell that buckled the legs of one of the attackers, giving Elyan the chance to kill the other. But as soon as he gave him the final blow, another one appeared behind his back, giving him no time to breathe out. There were too many of them and even though Merlin would be able to remain hidden and support the knights in every man-to-man combat, he knew he had no chance to protect them from Morgana.

The high priestess was slowly approaching to them, making her way between the trees and watching the turmoil with a spiteful smile on her face. Merlin had to stop her before she came too close to finish the battle with her spells, but without knowing Arthur's position, he was not willing to use magic now. It was too dangerous. He heard clanging of swords, screams from all sides and he could see the move of the fighters behind the trees and shrubs from time to time, but he couldn't find Arthur. Gaius was lying in place without any movement, and Merlin did his best to swallow the lump that formed in his throat. There was no time for sentiment. He had to do everything to get rid of Morgana.

Trying to cover himself, he whispered words of a spell that created mist around them, slowly filling the air with an impenetrable white fog. He knew he didn't have much time to act as Morgana was certainly able to make it disappear with a single word, so he got up from the ground, trying to get as close as possible to the position he saw her last.

The pain of his body was completely forgotten for that moment, the basic urge to keep Arthur alive completely took over him, pushing even the smallest hints of distraction in the background. It almost felt like he was obsessed with it, giving no chance to other thoughts to destroy his composure and determination. There was no pain, no fear, and no hesitation. All his senses were awakened and ready to do whatever the situation would demand.

He reached the place he expected Morgana to be. Kneeling down, Merlin used another spell to clear his vision and see at least a few more steps through the fog. He found Morgana standing there in her black dress, her dark hair falling on her shoulders and making a sharp contrast with her snow white skin. There was anger, fear and confusion creating a strange expression on her face and Merlin knew she felt vulnerable, ready to fight back against the sorcerer that conjured the fog. And it made her look even more dangerous.

"Emrys!" she suddenly screamed from her lungs, her grating voice ringing in Merlin's ears, compelling him to act when he still had the chance. There was no time to play fair and challenge Morgana in an equal combat, sorcerer to sorcerer. No. She didn't give the fair play to the knights and it wasn't cowardly to deal with her the same she did with them.

"I am here, Emrys!" She screamed again, turning around to find the only person in the world she was actually scared of. Merlin didn't hesitate. There was just a second before Morgana screamed for the last time, her limp body crashing with a tree tribe behind her. She was unconscious and Merlin knew she wouldn't wake up so easily. He made sure of it, sending another spell through her chest.

Suddenly, there was a quick move behind him, the uncertain noise that made his body jump in surprise. A group of mercenaries was getting dangerously close to him. He thought about running away but he still didn't know which way to go to find Arthur.

He cowered, hiding behind a tree and waiting till the group retreated enough to make the place safe to leave. The mercenaries were all around them and it was almost impossible to predict where they would appear next. He could have been surprised from every direction.

The mist he conjured was slowly fading away, revealing the trees around him. But since the part of the woods was quite dense, it wasn't that easy to make sure he's not being followed. There was nothing he could use to track Arthur or one of the knights and without any weapons, he was hopeless. There were even no more distant noises that would suggest where the knights were fighting. Everything was suddenly silent and still, as if nothing had happened.

Having no idea where to start his search for Arthur, Merlin decided to return to Gaius and find out how severe his injuries were. However, his first steps were suddenly stopped by a scream coming somewhere from behind. He froze on a place. Thinking about the source of the grating voice, his heart stopped as he realised it sounded much more like Arthur. His eyes were desperately shifting between the trees to find any move, but there was nothing. Merlin was lost.

His breath was short and ragged and he felt heart beating in his head, the blood cumulating in his brain, creating a strange pressure that made his mind fuzzy. He couldn't think; he didn't have the strength to decide which way to go, so he ran in the direction the scream came. He hoped his conclusion it was Arthur was wrong and he urged his body to run as fast as his muscles allowed him to, desperate to make sure the king was not harmed.

There was a sudden cracking of fallen branches behind him; he could hear it through the air that created a humming noise in his ears. Without daring to stop his run, he made a quick turn with his head. The two silhouettes he managed to catch with the quick shot confirmed that he was being chased. He could hear two men screaming orders to each other, probably trying to figure out the best strategy how to take hold him. He couldn't distinguish the exact words even though he was listening for dear life, but suddenly, something whizzed next to his right ear.

It was an arrow, Merlin recognized the moment one of them burrowed in a tree before him. It must have missed him by less than an inch.

Merlin sped up, quite impressed with how fast he could make his body move when his life was in danger. The sling holding his arm loosened under the fierce moves but Merlin didn't bother with that. The number of arrows flying around him multiplied, and it forced him to run even faster. He didn't dare to use magic against the mercenaries as he knew he would have to kill them if they saw him throwing spells, and even though he had the best reason to do so, the idea of taking someone's life was not an option for him now. He just ran, eyes shifting between the trees to find some place to hide.

He heard the unmistakable sound of a flowing river. Merlin realised that maybe he would be able to shake the mercenaries off if he could cover his track by crossing the river and then hide on the other border. He couldn't be sure, as his plan was predictable and actually pretty poor, but it was his only chance, and in that moment, he wasn't able to come up with anything better.

The river emerged in front of him and Merlin quickened his pace, trying to get on the other side before the mercenaries get the chance to see him. He made the first step in, the cold water soaking his boots and pinching his toes. He was almost in the middle of the river when his right leg got stuck in something under the water.

He pulled his knee up, trying to free himself by taking his shoe off, but he didn't have the power to get rid of whatever was holding him back there. Before he could realise what was happening, Merlin found himself falling over straight into the water. There was just a second when he managed to put his right arm in front of him, trying to somehow alleviate the impact, but he couldn't prepare himself for the shock that knocked the air out of his lungs. He almost felt like he forgot how to breathe as the cold water completely embraced his hurting body, sending ice-cold needles through his skin and making his thoughts float.

The river wasn't so deep as to make him completely disappear, but as soon as he felt his other foot burrowing in the mud, something strong grabbed him from behind by his coat, pushing him quite roughly out.

"No-" Merlin wheezed through the water in his mouth, the lack of air already taking it's prize. He was confused, disoriented and scared. His instincts told him to fight with whoever was holding him and since he wasn't capable of thinking of any better way out of his situation, he fought as much as he could, forcing his right elbow back to give a blow to the mercenary that held him. His brain was urging him to use magic while his lungs were struggling with the lack of air. For a moment, Merlin found himself completely lost, the darkness slowly turning the space in front of his eyes in a black canvas.

His shoulder screamed in pain as he fought with all his limbs in swift moves, trying to get rid of the man that was dragging him to the bank. He didn't care he was probably hurting himself even more, but knowing it was the last chance before they brought him to Morgana, he was desperate to do whatever his body allowed him. He pushed his head back in a quick motion, trying to hit the man with his own head, but it was in vain. Merlin was too weak to shake him off. He heard Gaius's words in his head, repeating him to keep his magic as the last resort. And maybe, this was exactly the kind of situation he was talking about.

"No-" he tried again, as his lungs finally filled with a bigger amount of the precious air, but the man's hand immediately silenced him, cutting of not only his words, but the way for air as well.

For the first time, Merlin actually thought there might be no tomorrow for him. He never felt so hopeless in his life and something was telling him it was all soon to be over. But what scared him even more, he didn't felt the fear of death. No. It was peaceful and so still and silent, that it couldn't really be that bad at the end. Not anymore.

_To be continued..._


	3. To the Rabbit Hole

Thank you for reading! I don't know how to thank you enough, you make my days brighter and I just want to hug you all!

To the Guest: Thank you very much for your review. To answer your question, I write on 'good writing days' which is usually when I have a bunch of duties and other things to do. So basically, it's not like I sit down and write until it's finished. Sometimes I write about a page, then it's just a paragraph or a line. I started with this story in the middle of February, so it's quite a long time ago. And with revisions, to be honest, I spend more time re-reading than with the writing itself, so in the end, I know almost every paraghraph by heart. But still, it's not enough to eliminate all the mistakes. And I'm never satisfied :-)

Here you go...

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Chapter 3: To the Rabbit Hole

It felt easy to give up now, stop fighting and close his eyes, completely surrender to the mercenary and accept whatever was going to happen next. But at the same time, Merlin was not willing to make it easy for him. Giving up was never his lifestyle and even though it was tempting in a certain way, Merlin knew he would never forgive himself if he became resigned. So he fought with everything that was left in him, moving as much as he could to free himself and trying to get the access to air again.

"Stop, you idiot. It's me. It's Arthur."

The words worked like a spell on him and Merlin ceased immediately, getting limp in Arthur's arms and finally releasing his breath as the king's palm disappeared from his mouth. Arthur, though, didn't let go of him completely, his convulsive grasp holding him by his chest and dragging somewhere to the river bank. Merlin couldn't see where was Arthur heading, but they were still in the river when Merlin started coughing, his lungs getting rid of water he managed to swallow. He felt like he was suffocating and more than anything else, he needed air, but Arthur didn't seem to bother with that, still holding his tense body and dragging him to the bank.

In a blink of an eye, Merlin found himself on some place that looked like a big rabbit hole. He was coughing wildly, the air coming in his lungs in short raspy breaths.

He looked over the place, blinking to get used to the dimness. They were on the left border of the river, on a small gap the water eroded in the bank. The tree managed to hold the clay together with its roots, creating something like a low overhang above them. The tender roots hanging from the roof looked like white curtains around them and Merlin's nose was full of the stuffy smell of wet clay. There wasn't too much space but it was enough for both of them to hide. He wondered whether Arthur knew this place or whether it was just a coincidence he found it now.

"Don't move, Merlin," he whispered, pushing him on his stomach on the ground, making sure no part of his body could be seen from the outside. Merlin could sense him trying to silence his own breath.

"Don't move," he repeated, "and keep silent."

He could hear footsteps around their position and through the end of the roots that divided them from the outside, Merlin saw a pair of worn-out brown leather shoes quickly getting to the river. Within a second they were so close he would be able to touch it if he held out his arm.

The mercenary stood there for a moment, obviously searching for Merlin in the water. The warlock didn't dare to blink as he came even closer to them, grousing something under his nose. Merlin prayed he would leave soon as he could already feel first little tremors shaking with his cold body. He was still partly in the water and from what he could sense, so was Arthur. He tensed at the realisation, knowing that even the slightest movement could become fatal for them, revealing their hiding place.

"You're breathing too loud," Arthur whispered, impatient and angry. He was lying on his right side, with his back leaning on the clay wall intertwined with roots. His voice was marked by the same impatience as Merlin felt.

Merlin looked at his face, not knowing what to do to silence himself. The river was too slow and too silent to drown their voices and his shoulder was reminding itself again, reacting to the muscles that were clenching around his bones, trying to warm up his weak body. By coincidence, the river was the cause of the tormenting coldness and at the same time the only relief for his shoulder, the flow of the water cooling it down and making it slightly insensitive.

Arthur grabbed Merlin's right shoulder, pushing him further from the dangerous zone where he could be beheld by the mercenaries. They were both holding their breaths, completely motionless as they waited for the men to leave.

"Thanks," Merlin said, watching the mercenary's silhouette disappearing in within the forest.

Arthur just nodded, closing his eyes to retrieve a steady rhythm to his breath and heart again. "The knights, have you seen them?"

"No-" Merlin reacted, his voice seemed strangely dry. He couldn't remember where he last saw anyone of the knights but he was sure that he didn't witness anyone to be hurt. "Just Gaius. He was-," Merlin suddenly stopped, finding himself not able to carry on through the lump in his throat. He was staring in the mud, the flowing water creating curved lines in the fine clay under his hands.

"He'll be fine," Arthur assured him.

"Yeah, he's always fine," Merlin reacted, forcing himself in a smile and wiping his nose with his left hand. He noticed the sling on his arm completely loosened, probably as a result of his fighting with Arthur, but it didn't matter now after all. The place was so small they weren't even able to sit and something was telling him they wouldn't leave the hole any time soon.

"How did you even find me?" Arthur asked, looking at Merlin with surprise. How could he have found him so precisely? The woods were large, and he could have been everywhere, as well as the rest of the knights and still, Merlin managed to find him so quickly.

"I heard a scream," he answered, "I thought it was yours."

Arthur frowned, shaking his head.

"Wasn't it?" Merlin asked. He didn't look like he was hurt, but Merlin had to make sure. Arthur had the same skill of underestimating his injuries as him. He needed to be sure he was all right.

"Of course not," the king objected. "Besides, kings don't scream."

Merlin chuckled. "What kind of rule is that?"

"A knight's code," Arthur snubbed him.

This time Merlin laughed aloud, but Arthur's face was serious. "You're making it up!"

"Shh!" the king silenced him, "Who's shouting now, hmm? Another word and you can get out straight away and invite the mercenaries in!" he whispered with a strong, annoyed voice.

Merlin bended his head, still smiling, but trying to keep as silent as possible. He almost forgot how it felt to be so relieved, and he couldn't really find words to express how glad he was to see Arthur alive. However, as the excitement slowly ran out from him, Merlin felt as a one huge ball of pain. All the things he'd been through in the last two days were returning like a wave, and Merlin was struggling with a thought he wouldn't be able to get home so easily. Certainly not without a horse. "Do we have a plan?" he asked, hoping Arthur had already come up with a solution instead of him.

"Wait," he breathed out. "Just wait."

Merlin gave him an incredulous look. "Right. And then?"

"There's no 'then' yet," Arthur responded. "We need to wait till they retreat. At this count, there is no way how to beat them. They're too quick, we are separated, spread all around the forest; not forget to mention we don't know where Morgana is."

Merlin nodded. He felt a desperate urge to tell him Morgana was disabled but he couldn't find a way how. Besides, it wouldn't probably help after all. The mercenaries were still a strong force against them and they would need at least thirty men to be sure they can win against them.

"You shouldn't be here," Merlin suddenly whispered, trying to distract himself from his all too tired body.

"What do you mean?" Arthur reacted, his voice marked with confusion.

Merlin turned his head to him, looking in the sweaty and tired face of his master. They both needed to rest, have a proper bath and eat to their heart's contents. Yesterday morning looked so innocent and after all that'd happened, Merlin almost couldn't remember which wrong step brought them to this hostile place. It was hardly believable.

He pointed his eyes on Arthur, locking their sights together, "It's not worth it."

"What are you talking about?" the king interjected, twisting his face as he was trying to comprehend Merlin's words.

"You are a king," the servant continued, the shivers of his body making the words gritty.

"Yeah, I'm going to remind you when we return to Camelot," he joked, but Merlin's serious face quickly changed back his expression. There was certainly something important on Merlin's mind, something that couldn't wait for later.

"What is it?" Arthur encouraged him to speak.

"Nothing, just-" Merlin whispered. "You shouldn't have come for me. That's it," he said, surprised how quickly the words left his mouth.

The king stared at him, clearly not understanding Merlin's words.

"Do not think I'm not grateful," Merlin decided to soften his words a bit, "because I am. Truly I am. But you're the king and-"

Arthur frowned, raising his finger to silence Merlin.

"But-"

"Shhh-," he cut his words off. He could hear swirling leaves around them, but there was no one to be seen. Arthur's body was so tense he didn't dare to make a move, clenching his jaw to prevent his teeth from loud clattering. For a moment, they were both still, waiting for the silence to make them sure they're alone.

"Look, I understand I once saved your life," Merlin carried on, as he noticed Arthur relaxed again, "but you can't keep doing this. You don't owe me anything."

The king made a huge breath, trying to shake off the anger circulating in his veins. "You're right in one thing. I am the king and I don't have to explain my decisions to anyone, not even you."

"You're going to hurt yourself, and it will be my fault," Merlin pleaded, his eyes watering from the pain in his chest. But this time, it weren't just the sore bones that troubled him. It was the guilt and regret that filled the place somewhere close to his heart. He had no idea where the knights were now and his throat clenched at the thought they could be already dead. And when he saw Gaius's motionless body on the road, it was a scene Merlin would never like to see again. Maybe it wasn't all his fault. He was hardly responsible for Morgana's and Agravaine's actions but he was sure, that if he had been even a little bit faster, many things wouldn't have happened.

Arthur watched Merlin's worried face for a moment. His decision to go to the forest full of mercenaries was not wise. It was not a choice worthy of a king, and he was sure his father would never approve it if he was alive. In addition he knew that any other king wouldn't be willing to endanger his life and the lives of his knights just for one servant who could be so easily replaced. But at the same time, he was sure Merlin was worth it more than any other man he knew.

"I thought you would understand," Arthur started softly, his voice calm and silent again. "You're no better than me, Merlin. You're telling me it's unusual when a king cares about his servant, and I'm saying it wasn't your duty to protect me. But you did it anyway."

Merlin didn't look at him, his eyes focused on the water slipping around his frozen body.

"I guess I was never an average king. and you were never just a servant to me." Arthur chuckled nervously after the words, like wasn't really sure he really wanted to say it aloud.

"Arthur-" Merlin turned to him but he couldn't say the words that came on his mind. Arthur was just too stubborn to let him talk.

"And," the king continued, "I also don't want you to think I came back because I think I owe you. This is not about repaying a favour. It's the best decision I could have made, and I would put my life on it the knights feel it the same way."

Merlin stared at him for a moment, surprised with his honest words, and Arthur paid back the look, watching Merlin with his wide blue eyes. There was something rare in his sight, something that Merlin saw just a few times since the first day they met. Despite the situation they were in, the king's eyes were sparkling with joy. He looked happy and satisfied. In addition, he never spoke like that when it came to feelings; his words were always forced and somehow not true to him, but this time, something changed.

"You should be careful with what you say," Merlin whispered, his eyes shifting between Arthur's face and his own hands.

Arthur raised his eyebrows, smiling in surprise.

"Because I know you," Merlin continued, "but some people could take you seriously."

"Right, Merlin," Arthur laughed, "then we're really lucky you know me."

"Yeah," Merlin nodded, a wide smile brightening his still too pale face.

"I should have known you were going to use it against me," Arthur snorted before his face got the serious look again. "I really mean it, Merlin. Don't worry. Everyone who is here today came from his own free will. They knew the risks; they are warriors after all."

The knights were maybe warriors but the battle was not worth fighting. They were meant to protect the king and fight for Camelot, not risk everything for a servant. If it was up to him, he would never let them save him.

They remained there for some time, talking about things that weren't important or quite the opposite, staying in a complete silence and thinking about things that mattered the most. Merlin was cold, his clothes was soaked with water and he was almost certain he's going to break his bones with the tremors that shook with him. The cold was squeezing his insides and making him dizzy and with the throbbing shoulder, he couldn't remember a day he would feel so tired and exhausted.

"You're right," Arthur said after a long silence, watching Merlin's trembling form in the water. "We can't stay here unless we want you to freeze to death. In the middle of summer."

"I can manage," Merlin objected, but with the audible clattering of his teeth, he knew his words weren't convincing enough to change Arthur's mind. He wanted to get out. Of course he did, but somehow the idea of leaving their shelter seemed not wise to him. It just didn't feel right.

"It's been quiet out there. Maybe we should try to take a look," Arthur brought up, already scanning the outside with his bright sight.

Merlin nodded after a short hesitation, already trying to get on his feet but Arthur immediately stopped him.

"Wait. I'll check the surroundings. Don't come out until I give you a sign," he commanded.

Merlin gave him a constrained chuckle. "I'm not a child."

"Trust me, right now, you are much worse than that. You will stay here and-" he raised his finger, "that is an order," he finished, looking menacingly in Merlin's eyes. "Do you understand?"

Merlin didn't actually like the idea of Arthur roaming around the woods alone, but he knew his stubbornness well enough to stop arguing. And even though his current state didn't give him much space for defending himself, he wasn't really into staying there and waiting for some indefinite sign. On top of that, Merlin never truly understood the nature of Arthur's sign language. It always looked like Arthur was making up the signs according to the current shape of the clouds.

His body was shaking quite a lot now, but he was trying to control it. In a desperate attempt to catch everything that happens outside, he focused on his hearing, trying to separate the natural hum of the woods from the sounds Arthur made with walking around. After a few moments, he realised that a part of the flowing river, he could hear nothing. Maybe Arthur wasn't moving right now, or he was simply too far to be heard.

Merlin was becoming quite nervous, having no idea where Arthur was and what the hell took him so long to give him the sign. He was exhausted and impatient. In addition, he wasn't sure about his magic. There was maybe a possibility he would be able to collect the last bits of it if he really tried, but still, he couldn't rely on it as he would have wished, and it made him even more nervous.

Merlin decided to finally leave his hiding place, making his way out through the cranny in front of him. He managed to get out with some grand effort, feeling his limbs stiff and so painfully weak. He had no idea how hard it could actually become to get up on his legs after spending a long time in cold water in a not really comfortable position. His head spun around as he finally stood up. He leaned on a tree for a moment, trying to steady his breath again and allow his eyes to get used to the day light.

The hum in his head was suddenly replaced by a ringing sound of swords and metal. Merlin quickly climbed over the edge of the hill, coming back to the place he ran away from his chasers. Arthur was there, fighting with two men. A few steps from them was another lying body of a mercenary Arthur managed to kill.

Merlin didn't know what to do. Arthur caught him with his eyes between his defensive moves, but he didn't shout his name, probably trying to prevent the mercenaries from seeing him as well. He fought with all his strength, his moves quick and precise. It almost looked like it wasn't actually giving him any hard time to fight with two strong men at once.

Merlin's eyes shifted between them and even though he was almost sure Arthur would deal with both of them sooner or later, there was still a danger the sounds would draw attention and lead more enemies to them. Merlin found using magic too risky, so he decided to get to the lying body of the mercenary, get his sword and somehow help Arthur to finish the fight.

He was careful, making step after step to the body, already finding the sword in the fallen leafs on the ground. But Arthur with the two fighters were moving all around in unpredictable directions, and Merlin had to be cautious if he wanted to reach the sword without being witnessed.

There was a sudden stroke and Arthur groaned aloud, one of the swords hitting his chainmail. The blow wasn't hard enough to penetrate it, but Merlin noticed his moves became slower, his body clearly weakened with the long fight.

The moment Merlin's fingers finally grabbed the hilt of the sword, one of the mercenaries left Arthur and headed straight to him.

"I'm gonna make it quick, I promise," the man spit out before he lifted his sword, his scarred face curved in a hungry, merciless smile.

Merlin did the same move, raising his sword on his eye level, ready to defend himself at all costs. Until now he didn't actually need both of his hands, but as he was forced to hold the heavy sword only with one hand, he finally understood how bad of a choice he made by getting into the man's way. But if nothing more, Merlin at least gave Arthur the chance to get rid of them one by one.

"Hey boy, c'mon!" the man shouted, obviously disappointed with Merlin's actions. He probably expected Merlin to attack first but it was something he couldn't allow himself to do. He needed to save his strength for as long as possible.

"You look like you're gonna die just from staring at me," the man growled, his voice torn and dirty like the rest of his image. He looked like he hadn't had a bath since his mother washed him last and despite the distance they kept from each other, Merlin could smell his body, the stink of sweat and dirt multiplied with the hot weather filling Merlin's nose and turning his stomach in disgust.

Merlin followed his eyes, not able to let go of him. Arthur was still fighting with the other man, he could hear their swords and harsh breaths.

It was a test of their patience, both of them stalling on the spot and trying to predict each other's moves by reading in their eyes. Merlin was sure, that wherever the man's strength lay, it was certainly not in patience; and he was right. The man's eyes suddenly widened and with a loud roar, he pounced on Merlin.

Even though the warlock was ready for the attack, he almost dropped the sword as the mercenary's weapon collided with his own. He was quite surprised it remained still in his hands after such a hard impact. However, Merlin didn't have time to think about it, as the man forced another blow and then another and another, giving him no chance to strike by himself. All Merlin could do was to avert every hit, but with just one hand holding the sword, he soon realised he wouldn't be able to carry on like this for much longer.

He felt his legs weakening; he wasn't able to breathe out and fill his lungs with fresh air. Every step he made was risky and with every other second his chances to beat the man were getting low.

Merlin knew he had to act quickly, if he wanted to come out alive from the fight. Right in the moment the man's sword once again met his, Merlin said a spell that buckled the mercenary's legs, making him fall on his knees. Without hesitation, Merlin pushed the tip of the sword through the man's shoulder, watching his surprised face. He fell backwards, his eyes slowly closing as Merlin pulled the sword out. He knew it couldn't have been a mortal wound, but it was enough to make him fall unconscious.

Merlin quickly turned his attention to Arthur. To his horror, he was fighting without his sword. Or more precisely, he wasn't actually fighting, he was just turning around and ducking to avoid the mercenary's swift blows. Merlin couldn't see Arthur's sword anywhere, it was probably buried somewhere in the fallen leafs. At first, Merlin aimed to throw his sword in Arthur's hands but when the king fell on his back, completely powerless and at the mercenary's mercy, Merlin knew there was no time for playing around. He got off, running to the man, who was standing above Arthur, already raising his sword to kill the king, and with all his strength, he stabbed the mercenary in the back. He heard a gasp, the sword he was still holding pushing his hands down under the weight of the man's falling body. He let go of it. It had no use for him anymore. Arthur was lying on the ground, breathing heavily, trying to say something but all he could do was to raise his hand. Merlin understood. Arthur wasn't hurt; he just needed some time to collect himself from the exhausting fight.

"And once again, I saved your royal backside by ignoring your orders. You're welcome," Merlin noted. The excitement and joy embraced him like a warm, soft cloak and he found himself smiling, his eyes sparkling with the relief when he knew Arthur was safe once again. The king turned to him, lips twisted in a shameful smile and Merlin knew he was already trying to make up something to degrade Merlin's newly acquired self-confidence.

But as quickly as the overwhelming feeling came, the last bits of his strength left his body in a blink of an eye. There was a short moment when Merlin felt shaking under his legs, as if the ground was moving with some unknown force, but a second later he realised it was his doing. He was falling, without any warning signals, his knees gave up and Merlin lowered himself on the ground, sitting on his heels and trying his best to keep an eye contact with Arthur.

"Merlin," the king came to his side, holding his shoulders as Merlin's head fell backwards.

"I'm... fine," the servant breathed out, trying to raise his head again, but his effort resulted only in making his head fall forwards on his chest. He didn't understand how could he become so weak suddenly.

"You're not. You are an idiot," Arthur hissed angrily, his breath still too quick and violent from the fight, "I should have tied you to the roots down there."

"You'd-be-dead-by-now," Merlin whispered, but the sentence fused into one long word that was difficult to comprehend. Arthur shook with his shoulders a bit to make him stay conscious but Merlin knew he was drifting, the world spinning around and everything becoming blurry and indistinctive.

"That's debatable," Arthur noted, lowering his servant down on his back. He turned around, trying to keep an eye on the surroundings. The mercenaries were maybe gone but there was still a danger they could have heard the fight and that they would return to check what's up.

Merlin somehow managed to stay awake but he was confused and disorientated, his limbs not listening to him. He reached to Arthur with his hand, trying to sit up, but the king pushed him back.

"Lie back, you idiot. You're making it only worse."

"Can't-"

"You can. And shut up. I'm trying to think," Arthur stood on his feet and turned around in a circle. Merlin could see him through his half-opened eyes. He looked nervous, his face concerned and focused and... angry. He was truly angry and Merlin wondered whether it was because he left his hiding without waiting for Arthur's command.

Arthur's eyes suddenly caught something in the distance, he ducked quickly, kneeling back to the servant. Merlin wheezed in an attempt to ask what it was but he didn't manage. Arthur shushed him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I think I see someone," he whispered, staring on the same exact spot somewhere behind Merlin's lying form. He quickly found his lost sword, his breath accelerating with the impatience. His sight was so sharp Merlin was sure it would cut the man in two halves before he would be even able to get closer.

Somewhere between the silence of the woods and the quickly increasing monotonous sound in his ears, Merlin distinguished a horse's neigh. To his surprise, the next thing that caught his attention was Arthur's relieved smile.

"It's Gaius," the king announced like it was a matter of course for him. "It's Gaius and he's leading a horse. Two horses," he patted Merlin's shoulder before standing up and waving his arms above his head to catch the physician's sight. Arthur was still cautious, not daring to make any louder sound. Merlin managed to hear a part of Gaius's voice but he couldn't understand what he was saying through the hum in his ears. And then, he knew no more.

...

"Good morning."

Merlin opened his eyes only to see Arthur's head above him. Merlin frowned, trying to bring the hands to his face and rub his eyes. He succeeded only with the right hand. The other one was - as he found out - tied to his body and hidden beneath a blanket. As soon as Merlin's eyes got their lost strength again, he realised he was back in Camelot, in his chamber and - what was even more surprising - in his own, incredibly soft bed.

Arthur must have noticed Merlin's confused and surprised face as carried on.

"Welcome back," he said with pride in his voice.

Merlin took his time to make up his worlds and lick his dry lips. "Are we-"

"Yes. You're home," Arthur responded, "it appears that we have some guardian that protected us on the way back."

"I guess it's your job," Merlin smiled drowsily, looking in Arthur's eyes. His face was enlightened by the dark yellow beams of the sunset. It was soon to be night.

"Maybe. According to Gaius the mercenaries retreated when they found out Morgana was knocked out. And since no one of the knights confirmed it was their doing, I guess I have to thank to some uncertain force."

"A guardian, you say?"

"I don't have an explanation. And to be honest, I don't really care. I'm just grateful to whoever did it."

"You have friends out there..." Merlin whispered, his voice coming and leaving like the breath in his lungs.

"It must have been a sorcerer; it's understandable he's hiding. Who else would be able to face Morgana and win the fight?" Arthur asked. But from the sound of his voice Merlin could feel, that rather than an actual question, he just needed to share his thoughts. Arthur was grateful to some strange sorcerer and he didn't have the slightest idea that the sorcerer was right in front of him, hearing his words of thanks and gratitude. The burden of his secret suddenly didn't feel so heavy and for a moment, Merlin almost thought that this is exactly the best time for revealing his magic. But for some reason, he couldn't find the right words in his tired and sleepy mind.

"And the knights? And Gaius?" he asked, as if he suddenly realised he couldn't see or hear anyone nearby. The door to his chamber were closed and Merlin could hear some indistinctive noises behind them. He was desperate to know what happened to his friends, wherever the truth lied.

"They're good. Gaius is treating Elyan's side. He has a puncture wound but he'll be fine. There are some more scratches and bruises, but nothing serious."

Merlin nodded, closing his eyes in relief. It was almost unbelievable that they managed to leave the forest full of mercenaries without any casualties. Maybe they really had someone like a guardian who protected them.

"Anyway, I'm not here to entertain you," the king continued, "I just wanted to personally announce you that I'm giving you a day off."

Merlin opened his eyes again, smiling, "A whole day or just a day without the night?"

Arthur chuckled, shaking his head, "A whole day, Merlin. I know you'll be more useless tomorrow than you usually are, so I'm just trying to avoid a disaster."

"That's very kind of you. Thank you, sire," Merlin said teasingly.

"Rest now. I'll tell Gaius you're awake, he'll be at your side soon."

Merlin, though, couldn't hear the last of Arthur's words. His eye lids fell, his breath calmed down, lifting his chest in a slow, regular pace as the world of dreams took his hand and guided him back into a deep and peaceful sleep.

The End

* * *

So, my dear fellows, I hope you enjoyed reading, thank you for all your comments, reviews or any other way of support. I know I'm repeating myself, but it really means a lot to me. It's quite an overwhelming feeling and like no other thing, writing really makes sense to me.

Anyway, my head is full of ideas and I'm quite sure this is not the last time you read my words :-)

Thanks again, I love you all!

- Grace


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